Apoptotically active peptides

ABSTRACT

Specific amino acid sequences and peptides and/or peptide mimetics deducted therefrom influencing apoptosis, and the use thereof for the production of pharmaceuticals as diagnostic tools are shown.

This is the U.S. national phase of International Application No. PCT/EP02/14439 filed Dec. 18, 2002, the entire disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference.

BACKGROUND OF THE DISCLOSURE

1. Field of the Disclosure

The disclosure relates to apoptotically active peptides and the use thereof for the production of pharmaceuticals.

2. Related Technology

Apoptosis is a genetically encoded suicide program which under particular physiologic or pathologic conditions is induced in eucaryote cells. The induction of apoptosis has to be controlled extremely precisely since hyperactivity can lead to degenerative disorders. Reduced apoptosis induction, on the other hand, can contribute to tumor progression.

Various low-molecular inductors of apoptosis have already been described. A significant class are tumor cytostatica. In most of the cases, it is, however, not clear in which way these cytostatica or other substances can induce apoptosis.

Induction of apoptosis can for instance result via a series of so-called death receptors, i.e. receptors including a “Death Domain” (DD) such as CD95, TNF-RI, DR3, DR4 or DR5, which after binding of their ligands induce apoptosis signal ways. The CD95 receptor, for instance, interacts after binding of the CD95 ligand with the adapter protein FADD/MORT1 whereby “recruitment” and activation of the protease FLICE/CASpase-8 are induced at the DISC, the “Death Inducing Signaling Complex”. FADD and FLICE each include “Death Effector Domains” (DED). Induction of apopotsis from outside via these signal ways is possible for instance by the addition of cell poisons (cytotoxic substances), by irradiation, viruses, withdrawal of growth factors or mechanical cell injure. These possibilities of apoptosis induction, however, are accompanied by special disadvantages. Addition of cell poisons, such as cytostatica, or irradiation in case of cancer cells leads to resistance development and, moreover, to damage of normal cells in which, originally, no apoptosis was to be triggered.

In general, induction of apoptosis is suggested for instance for the treatment of cancer, for avoiding angio-genetic processes etc. While inductors have here been described they still have a series of disadvantages. Cytostatica for instance generate heavy side-effects.

However, pathologic states are being discussed as well, wherein apoptosis has negative effects and for the treatment of which apoptosis should be inhibited.

An example of such a disease is arteriosclerosis. In particular, the inventors were earlier able to show that particularly in the area of the arteriosclerotic plaques, apoptotic cells (particularly endothelial cells, smooth muscle cells) come up and that such coming up is amplified by disturbed flow conditions, i.e. is flow-dependent (Freyberg et al., BBRC, 286, 141 149, 2001). Furthermore, the inventors could show that substances inhibiting the binding of TSP-1 to IAP and/or α_(v)β₃ can also inhibit flow-dependent apoptosis.

Further diseases discussed in connection with increased up-coming apoptosis are AIDS and Alzheimer's disease.

Also in wound healing, apoptosis of participating cells such as fibroblasts, muscle cells and endothelial cells, plays a significant role. Inhibition of apoptosis should, therefore have a favorable influence on wound healing.

SUMMARY

There exists, therefore, a high need for substances having a positive or a negative influence on apoptosis. In particular, it would be favorable to be able to inhibit apoptosis which is flow-dependent and causally related to arteriosclerosis. There is, furthermore, a high need for pharmaceutical formulations comprising substances that can be used for treating states wherein inhibition or induction of apoptosis is indicated, particularly for the treatment of arteriosclerosis, but also of AIDS. Alzheimer's disease and cancer. In this connection, such substances should, if possible, be of lowest molecular weight and/or be small peptides in order to ensure good biological availability.

Therefore, the disclosure provides apoptotically active substances, preferably peptides. In particular, the disclosure provides substances, preferably peptides, which can inhibit flow-dependent apoptosis of the endothelial cells induced by TSP-1. The disclosure further provides pharmaceutical preparations by which diseases such as AIDS, Alzheimer's disease, cancer and wound healing disorders can be treated where inhibition or induction of apoptosis is indicated.

These, and further objects not explicitly referred to which however can without any difficulties be taken from the preceding appreciation of the prior art will be solved by the exemplified embodiments of the present invention defined in the claims.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The disclosure particularly makes available substances comprising peptides having one of the amino acid sequences represented in SEQ ID NOs 1 through 19.

In a preferred exemplified embodiment, apoptosis-inhibiting substances are concerned comprising amino acid sequences of the general formula (1): R-A₁-Y-V-V-M, SEQ ID NO 20,

wherein A₁ stands for A, D, E, G, M, N, T, W or Y, or pharmaceutically acceptable salts of these substances.

In a further preferred exemplified embodiment, apoptosis-inducing substances are concerned comprising amino acid sequences of the general formula (2) R-A₂-Y-V-V-A₃, SEQ ID NO 21,

wherein A₂ stands for A, L, P, S or C and A₃, if A₂ stands for A, is A and if A₂ stands for L, P, S or C, is M, or pharmaceutically acceptable salts of these substances.

Further particularly preferred embodiments comprise amino acid sequences shown in SEQ ID NOs 12, 18 and 19.

For the purposes of the disclosure, the internationally-common one-letter code for amino acids is used; i.e. A stands for alanine (Ala), C for cysteine (Cys), D for asparagine acid (Asp), E for glutaminic acid (Glu), F for phenyl alanine (Phe), G for glycine (Gly), L for leucine (Leu), M for methionine (Met), N for asparagine (Asn), P for prolin (Pro), R for arginine (Arg), S for serine (Ser), T for threonine (Thr), V for valine (Val), W for tryptophane (Trp) and Y for tyrosine (Tyr). In this connection, L-amino acids are represented by capital letters and D-amino acids by using small letters.

In accordance with a particularly preferred aspect, the disclosure relates, therefore, to apoptosis-inhibiting substances, preferably proteins or peptides comprising one of the peptide sequences shown sub SEQ ID NO 1 through SEQ ID NO 11, or the corresponding pharmaceutically acceptable salts thereof.

In accordance with a further particularly preferred aspect, the disclosure relates also to apoptosis-inducing substances, preferably proteins or peptides comprising one of the peptide sequences shown sub SEQ ID NO 12 through SEQ ID NO 19, or the corresponding pharmaceutically acceptable salts thereof.

Furthermore, the disclosure relates to the use of disclosed substances, preferably proteins or peptides comprising at least one of the amino acid sequence shown in SEQ ID NO 1 through SEQ ID NO 11, for the production of pharmaceuticals, particularly for the production of pharmaceuticals for the treatment of arteriosclerosis, AIDS and Alzheimer's disease and, particularly preferred in this connection, of arteriosclerosis.

The disclosure relates, furthermore, to the use of disclosed peptides comprising at least one of the amino acid sequence shown in SEQ ID NO 12 through SEQ ID NO 19, for the production of pharmaceuticals, particularly for the production of pharmaceuticals wherein the death of cells should be caused, for instance for the treatment of cancer.

Surprisingly, peptides comprising an amino acid sequence shown by formula (1) inhibit apoptosis at an extremely strong measure. In particular, these peptides are outstandingly suited to inhibit flow-dependent TSP-1-induced apoptosis of endothelial cells. It is assumed, however, that these peptides are also able to inhibit apoptosis in other cells.

As particularly preferred exemplified embodiments, the following peptides/peptide sequences are made available:

R-A-Y-V-V-M (SEQ ID NO 1) R-W-Y-V-V-M (SEQ ID NO 2) R-Y-Y-V-V-M (SEQ ID NO 3) R-E-Y-V-V-M (SEQ ID NO 4) K-R-A-Y-V-V-M-W-K-K (SEQ ID NO 5) K-R-E-Y-V-V-M-W-K-K (SEQ ID NO 6) R-G-Y-V-V-M (SEQ ID NO 7) R-M-Y-V-V-M (SEQ ID NO 8) R-T-Y-V-V-M (SEQ ID NO 9) R-N-Y-V-V-M (SEQ ID NO 10) R-D-Y-V-V-M (SEQ ID NO 11) M-V-V-Y-F-R (SEQ ID NO 12) R-A-Y-V-V-A (SEQ ID NO 13) R-L-Y-V-V-M (SEQ ID NO 14) R-P-Y-V-V-M (SEQ ID NO 15) R-S-Y-V-V-M (SEQ ID NO 16) R-C-Y-V-V-M (SEQ ID NO 17) m-v-v-y-f-r (SEQ ID NO 18) m-v-v-y-a-r (SEQ ID NO 19)

For the purposes of the disclosure, there is understood under the term “peptide” a substance consisting of a chain of two or more amino acids bound by peptide bonds. In particular, apoptotically active peptides according to the invention have a chain length of <100 amino acids, preferably of <75, particularly preferred of <50, more particularly preferred of <25 and most preferred of <15 amino acids.

Particularly preferred for the purposes according to the disclosure are, therefore, peptides which comprise one of SEQ ID NOs 1 through 19 and comprise either at the N-terminal and/or the C-terminal end one to a three additional amino acids each.

For the purposes of the disclosure, the term “protein” will mark a substance in which a plurality of “peptides” are bonded with one another, for instance by molecular bonds, such as disulfide bridges or by salt bridges. This definition covers simultaneously both native proteins and at least partly “artificial” proteins, while such “artificial” proteins can be altered, for instance by added chemical residues to the amino acid chain which do not occur in native proteins.

For the purposes of the disclosure, the term “apoptotically active” will mean that the addition of the respective substance to the test system shown in Examples 5 and 6 generates either a positive or negative inhibition index. Particularly endothelial cells, preferably especially HUVEC, are to this end cultivated in a medium which includes 1 μg TSP-1 per ml. The percentage apoptosis values of such positive control will then serve, as shown in the examples, for the calculation of the inhibition index for those substances which are used as potential inhibitors together with the inductor TSP-1 in parallel tests. A negative control shows the absence of any other inductors.

A positive inhibition index shows in this connection that the respective substance inhibits apoptosis. A negative inhibition index shows in this connection that the used substance induces apoptosis, i.e. amplifies the TSP-1-induced apoptosis.

Negative peptides, though, often show lower metabolic stability vis-a-vis peptidases and relatively small biological availability.

Starting from the above-shown peptides, one skilled in the art can without employing inventive activity develop quite a series of deducted compounds which have a similar or equal mode of action and which are also referred to, inter alia, as peptide mimetics.

For the purposes of the disclosure, peptide mimetics will, in this connection, denote compounds which imitate the structure of peptides and, as ligands, are able to either imitate (agonist) or block (antagonist) the biological activity on the receptor/enzyme level. The peptide mimetics should in particular provide for improved biological availability and improved metabolic stability. The kind of mimetization may extend from the lightly changed starting structure up to the pure non-peptide. See, for instance, A. Adang et al., Recl. Tray. Chim. Pays-Bas 113 (1994), 63-78.

In principle, the following possibilities for mimetization/derivatization of a peptide structure are available:

-   -   Use of D- instead of L-amino acids     -   Modification of the side chain of amino acids     -   Alteration/lengthening of the peptide main chain     -   Cyclization for conformation stabilization     -   Use of templates enforcing a particular secondary structure     -   Use of a non-peptidic backbone which imitates together with         suitable residues/side chains the structure of the peptide.

While the proteolytic stability of a peptide can be increased by exchanging L- against D-amino acids, the modification of the side chains of one of the amino acids often leads to an improvement of the bonding properties of the whole peptide.

When changing the peptide backbone, an exchange of an amid group against amid-like groupings occurs as a rule (J. Gante, Angew. Chem. 106 (1994), 1780-1802). By these measures, both bonding affinity and metabolic stability of the native peptide can be influenced.

By cyclization of a linear peptide the flexibility thereof and hence its global conformation is fixed. When fixing the biologically active conformation, the affinity of the peptide relative to the receptor is increased since entropy decrease when bonding is smaller than when bonding a flexible linear peptide. To this end, amino acid side chains which do not take part in receptor recognition are connected with one another or with the peptide skeleton.

The secondary structure of the peptide plays a decisive role for the molecular recognition of the receptor. In addition to α-helix and β-pleated sheet, so-called turns constitute significant conformation elements as turning points in the peptide chain. The replacement of these structural units by an element which stabilizes after the insertion into a peptide a defined secondary structure, has led to the concept of the secondary structure mimetic.

The water solubility, too, of the peptides can be increased for instance by the introduction of S- and C-glycopeptide derivatives. Further measures may for instance include polyethylene glycolization of the peptides.

Lipophilicity of the hexapeptides may be increased as well in that for instance phenyl alanines are attached to the peptide sequence.

Cyclization and N-terminal modification of peptides has for instance been described by Borchard, Journal of controlled Release 62 (1999), 231-238, and by Blackwell et al., J. Org. Chem. 10 (2001), 5291-302.

It is, therefore, obvious that one skilled in the art starting from the knowledge imparted by the disclosure will easily arrive at quite a series of deducted peptide mimetics which, however, are all covered by the scope of the disclosure.

Under a further preferred aspect, the disclosure provides also for peptide mimetics which have been deducted from SEQ ID NOs 1 through 19 and for substances comprising such peptide mimetics.

In particular, the disclosure provides, under a further preferred aspect, the use of peptide mimetics deducted from SEQ ID NOs 1 through 11 and of substances comprising such peptide mimetics for the production of a pharmaceutical for treating arteriosclerosis, AIDS and Alzheimer's disease and, in this connection, with preference of arteriosclerosis.

In particular, the disclosure provides, under a further preferred aspect, the use of peptide mimetics deducted from SEQ ID NOs 12 through 19 and substances comprising such peptide mimetics for the production of a pharmaceutical for cancer treatment.

Under a further preferred aspect of the disclosure, such peptides, or correspondingly derivatized peptides, respectively, can also be used as diagnostic reagents. The substances of the disclosure, preferably the peptides of SEQ ID NOs 1 through 19, bind to apoptotic cells and can, therefore, outstandingly be used as a diagnosis tool, for instance to prove the existence of apoptotic cells in the area of arteriosclerotic lesions and hence lesions as such. To this end, the substances are labeled. For such labeling, one skilled in the art is aware of a plurality of methods which can be selected according to the purpose of use.

Suitable methods have for instance been described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,479,930 (Hnatovich), U.S. Pat. No. 4,652,440 (Paik et all and U.S. Pat. No. 4,668,503 (Hnatowich).

For the purposes of the disclosure, the term “labeled substance according to the disclosure” denotes any substance of the disclosure which includes labeling substances known from the prior art and used as a standard for labeling peptides, such as general radio isotopes such as for instance rhenium or technetium, but also enzymes, enzyme substrates, antibodies, epitopes for the recognition on specific antibodies/fragments etc. One skilled in the art will very easily recognize to above enumeration as exemplary and not conclusive.

If the substances according to the disclosure are to be used as diagnosis tool, any labeling method known in the prior art can be used.

Substances according to the disclosure which constitute active components of a pharmaceutical preparation are, in general, dissolved in a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier. Examples of pharmaceutically acceptable carriers may include buffer solutions such as phosphate buffer or citrate buffer. In order to maintain the activity of the peptides, reagents may also be added which are pharmaceutically acceptable maintaining, for instance, a reducing environment in the pharmaceutical preparation.

The specific dosage and posology depends for each patient on a number of factors including the activity of the used specific compounds, the patient's age, the body weight, the general health status, the gender, nutrition, time of the administration, way of administration, the excretion rate, the combination with other pharmaceuticals and the severity of the individual disease to which the therapy is applied. Depending on these factors, it is determined by a physician.

Normally, peptide pharmaceuticals are parenterally administered, for instance by an inhalation spray, rectally, by subcutaneous, intravenous, intramuscular, intra-articular and intrathecal injection and infusion techniques, or externally in pharmaceutical formulations which include conventional pharmaceutically acceptable carriers, adjuvants and vehicles. Depending on the kind of the identified substance, other ways of administration, oral for instance, can be considered as well. In wound healing, the identificates according to the disclosure are preferably administered in the form of ointments or powder.

The disclosure also provides for pharmaceutical compositions which comprise an active amount of an apoptotically active substance, preferably a peptide, a protein or peptide mimetic in combination with a conventional pharmaceutical carrier. A pharmaceutical carrier is for instance a solid or liquid filler, an encapsulation material or a solvent. Examples of materials which can serve as pharmaceutical carriers include sugars, such as lactose, glucose and saccharose; starch such as maize starch and potato starch, cellulose and the derivatives thereof, such as sodium carboxymethyl cellulose, ethylcellulose and cellulose acetate; pulverized tragacanth; malt, gelatin, tallow; pharmaceutical carriers such as cocoa butter and suppository wax; oils such as peanut oil, cotton seed oil, carthamus oil, sesame oil, olive oil, maize oil, soy bean oil; polyalcohols, such as propylene glycol, glycerin, sorbitol, mannitol and polyethylene glycol; esters, such as ethyl oleate and ethyl laureate; agar, buffer means, such as magnesium hydroxide and aluminum hydroxide; alginic acid; pyrogenically-free water; isotonic salt solution; Ringer's solution, ethyl alcohol and phosphate buffer solutions, as well as other non-toxic compatible substances which are used in pharmaceutical formulations. Wetting agents, emulgators and lubricating agents, such as sodium lauryl sulfate and magnesium stearate, also coloring agents, coating agents and perfuming agents and preserving agents can be present in the preparations as well, corresponding to the galenic specialist's request. The amount of the active agent which is combined with the carrier materials in order to produce an individual dose will vary depending on the patient to be treated and the particular method of administration.

Pharmaceutically acceptable salts of the substances according to the disclosure, preferably peptides, proteins or peptide mimetics can be produced in a well known way, for instance by dissolving the compounds of the invention in the corresponding diluted acid or base, e.g. hydrochloric acid or sodium hydroxide solution, and subsequently freeze-drying them. Metal salts can be obtained by dissolving the compounds according to the disclosure in solutions which contain the corresponding ion, and subsequently isolating the compound via HPLC or gel permeation processes.

The following examples will explain the disclosure in more detail:

EXAMPLE 1 Cultivation of Human Umbilical Vein Endothelial Cells (HUVEC)

Solutions (sterile):

-   -   Culture medium: IF basal medium+15% (v/v) NCS; 5 μg/ml         transferrin, 5 μg/ml heparin, 0.7 μg/ml FGF, 2 mM L-glutamine         [IF basal medium: 1:1 mixture of Iscove's Modified Dulbecco's         Medium (IMDM) and Ham's F12, both produced by Life Technologies,         Paisley (England)]     -   NCS: Newly-born calves serum (Sebak, Aidenbach)     -   FGF: Fibroblast growth factor (own production, purified from pig         brain).         Materials:

Cell Culture Vessels, Gelatinized

Procedure:

Cultivation of HUVEC takes place in gelatin-coated culture vessels at 37° C., 5% CO₂ and water vapor saturated atmosphere. The culture medium is exchanged every two to three days; in case of confluence, the cells are passaged at a cleavage rate of from 1:3 to 1:5. HUVEC grow strictly contact-inhibited and form unilaminar cell bed having the typical cobble-stone morphology. In case of confluence, the cultures reach cell densities of 4-9×10⁴ cells/cm². For apoptosis examinations, HUVEC cultures of passages 1-4 are exclusively employed.

Coating of Culture Vessels:

Solutions (sterile):

-   -   Gelatin solution, 1% (w/v) in milli-Q-water     -   Suspend 1 g gelatin (cell culture tested) in 100 ml         milli-Q-water, dissolve by autoclaving for 20 minutes at 121° C.         and 2 bars, and store at room temperature.     -   PBS (140 mM NaCl, 3 mM KCl, 8 mM Na₂HPO₄, 1.5 mM KH₂PO₄)     -   8 g/l NaCl     -   0.2 g/l KCl     -   1.44 g/l Na₂HPO₄×2H₂O     -   0.2 g/l KH₂PO₄     -   Dissolve the salts in a corresponding volume of milli-Q-water,         autoclave for 20 minutes at 121° C. and 2 bars, and store at         room temperature. The pH value is controlled and is between 7.2         and 7.4.         Materials:

Cell Culture Vessels

Procedure:

For the cultivation of adherently growing cells, culture vessels are coated with gelatin. The bottom of the cell culture vessels is covered with sterile gelatin solution, the cell culture vessels are maintained for 15 minutes at room temperature. The gelatin solution is sucked off, the cell culture vessels are once washed with PBS and in such a state can be used.

Subcultivation of Adherent Cells

Solutions (sterile):

-   -   PBS     -   Trypsin/EDTA solution     -   Dissolve 0.05% (w/v) trypsin and 0.02 (w/v) EDTA in PBS and         filter aseptically.         Materials:

Cell Culture Vessels, Gelatinized

Procedure:

The cells are detached with a Trypsin/EDTA solution from the culture vessel. The culture medium is sucked off, the bottom of the culture vessel is shortly washed with PBS and covered with Trypsin/EDTA solution (˜1 ml for a culture face of 25 cm²). The enzyme solution is immediately sucked off again so that a thin liquid film remains on the cells. The cells are maintained for one minute to ten minutes at room temperature and the detachment of the cells is observed under the microscope. Detachment of the cells can be accelerated by gently pounding the culture vessel at the edge. The cells are received in a fresh culture medium, possibly counted, and seeded in new culture vessels.

EXAMPLE 2 Determination of the Apoptosis Rate by Dyeing Apoptotic Cells with DAPI

DAPI belongs to the indole dye stuff group and is a selective DNS dye stuff. The dye stuff is activated et 340-360 nm, and the emission maximum is at about 480 nm. It is used for apoptosis examinations [compare Cohen et al. Immunology Today, 14. No. 3, 126-130 (1993)]

Morphologic Evaluation:

Solutions:

-   -   PBS     -   Formaldehyde solution     -   4% (v/v) formaldehyde in PBS     -   DAPI solution (Molecular Probes, Leiden, Netherlands)     -   2 μg/ml DAPI in methanol         Materials:

Petri dish (35 mm) with cells in culture

Procedure:

The culture supernatant of a Petri dish is sucked off, the cell bed is fixed on ice for 15 minutes with 1 ml formaldehyde solution, is washed twice with 2 ml PBS, is added 0.5 ml DAPI solution for 15 minutes, is washed with PBS and evaluated under the fluorescence microscope. A UV filter set and a 20× and a 40× objective are used. 500 to 1000 cells are selected at random and the cells having apoptotic nuclei are counted.

The apoptosis index is calculated in accordance with the following formula: Apoptosis index[%]=number of apoptotic cells/total cell number×100 Flow Cytometry: Solutions:

-   -   PBS     -   Medium     -   Ethanol (reagent-grade) ice-cooled (−20° C.)     -   DAPI buffer     -   DAPI stock solution     -   DAPI dye solution         Procedure:

The culture supernatant is sucked off and the cells are trypsinized without washing them with PBS. The cell suspension is received in medium, is counted, is centrifuged at 800×g for 5 minutes, the sediment is re-suspended in 0.5 ml IF and is dripped into 1.5 ml ice-cold ethanol. The suspension is stored overnight at 20° C. After renewed centrifugation and re-suspending of the sediment in 2 ml PBS, there follows a half-hour incubation at 37° C., further centrifugation, re-suspending of the sediment in 5 ml DAPI solution, and counting in the flow cytometer at a counting rate of 50 to 300 events per second. The coating obtained shows a high peak of cells in the G phase of the cell cycle, followed by a fraction of cells in the S phase (medium fluorescence intensities) and a last peak of high fluorescence intensities representing the cells in the G₂ phase. Caused by the decreasing absolute DNS amount per cell, apoptotic cells appear in a sub-G₁ peak [Darzynklewicz Z. et al., Cytometry, 13, 795-808 (1992); Zamai L. et al., Cytometry, 14, 891-897 (1993]. This shows the appearance of an apoptosis under the selected conditions.

EXAMPLE 3 Induction of Apoptosis and Test System for Apoptotically Active Peptides or Proteins in Case of Cultivated Endothelial Cells

The cells are cultivated as described in Example 1. Having obtained complete confluence, the cells are used for the test. First, thrombospondin 1 (1 μg/ml) is added to fresh medium and compared to the effect of fresh medium on the apoptosis rate of HUVEC. Table 1 shows that the addition of thrombospondin leads to a significant increase of the apoptosis rate. The apoptosis observed while adding fresh medium is induced by the thrombospondin secreted during the course of the experiment.

TABLE 1 Induction of apoptosis at HUVEC with TSP-1 Culture medium Apoptosis rate (%) after 24 h Fresh medium 0.9 ± 0.1 Fresh + TSP-1 (1 μg/ml) 3.0 ± 0.4

EXAMPLE 4 Peptide Synthesis

The peptides used were synthetisized by the NMI (Naturwissenschaftliches und Medizinisches Institut an der Universitat Tuebingen, Reutlingen, Germany) based on data provided by Cyto Tools.

EXAMPLE 5 Identification of Apoptotically Active Hexamer Peptides Based on the Process According to the Present-invention Disclosure

The cells were cultivated as described in Example 1. The cells are seeded in the corresponding culture vessels (e.g. 24-hole plate/0.5 ml per cavity) and, having obtained complete confluence, are employed for the test. The cells are provided with new medium:

-   (a) fresh culture medium [Base rate of apoptosis], -   (b) fresh medium with 1 μg/ml TSP-1 [Apoptosis-induced substance;     control], -   (c) medium (b)+peptide of SEQ ID NO 1, 1 mM -   (d) medium (b)+peptide of SEQ ID NO 2, 1 mM -   (e) medium (b)+peptide of SEQ ID NO 3, 1 mM -   (f) medium (b)+peptide of SEQ ID NO 4, 1 mM -   (g) medium (b)+peptide of SEQ ID NO 7, 1 mM -   (h) medium (b)+peptide of SEQ ID NO 8, 1 mM -   (i) medium (b)+peptide of SEQ ID NO 9, 1 mM -   (j) medium (b)+peptide of SEQ ID NO 10, 1 mM -   (k) medium (b)+peptide of SEQ ID NO 11, 1 mM -   (l) medium (b)+peptide of SEQ ID NO 12, 1 mM -   (m) medium (b)+peptide of SEQ ID NO 13, 1 mM -   (n) medium (b)+peptide of SEQ ID NO 14, 1 mM -   (o) medium (b)+peptide of SEQ ID NO 15, 1 mM -   (p) medium (b)+peptide of SEQ ID NO 16, 1 mM -   (q) medium (b)+peptide of SEQ ID NO 17, 1 mM -   (r) medium (b)+peptide of SEQ ID NO 18, 1 mM -   (s) medium (b)+peptide of SEQ ID NO 19, 1 mM

After 24 hours of incubation under culture conditions (Example 1), the cells are fixed, dyed with DAPI and morphologically examined under the fluorescence microscope, or flow-cytometrically examined, respectively. The apoptotic cells and the total number are determined and the apoptosis index is calculated (percentage of apoptotic cells). The data of three independent experiments giving the mean values and the standard deviation are given in Table 2. Inhibitorically active peptides show, in accordance with the disclosure, a positive inhibition index while inductory peptides show, in accordance with the disclosure, a negative inhibition index.

TABLE 2 The following peptides are tested: Amino Apoptosis Inhibition SEQ ID NO acid sequence index [%] index [%]* K Control 3.28 ± 0.55 (1) R-A-Y-V-V-M 0.83 ± 0.24 +75.3 ± 7.5 (2) R-W-Y-V-V-M 1.30 ± 0.26 +61.9 ± 7.7 (3) R-Y-Y-V-V-M 0.85 ± 0.17 +74.7 ± 5.0 (4) R-E-Y-V-V-M 1.04 ± 0.30 +69.0 ± 8.9 (7) R-G-Y-V-V-M 1.83 ± 0.37  +46.4 ± 11.1 (8) R-M-Y-V-V-M 1.84 ± 0.39  +44.2 ± 11.6 (9) R-T-Y-V-V-M 1.86 ± 0.36 +44.5 ± 9.8 (10) R-N-Y-V-V-M 2.06 ± 0.53  +39.5 ± 15.8 (11) R-D-Y-V-V-M 2.12 ± 0.47  +37.3 ± 14.0 (12) M-V-V-Y-F-R 4.40 ± 0.53 −34.1 ± 6.2 (13) R-A-Y-V-V-A 4.98 ± 0.3   −51.8 ± 6.0 (14) R-L-Y-V-V-M 6.41 ± 0.63 −95.4 ± 6.1 (15) R-P-Y-V-V-M 5.67 ± 0.54 −72.8 ± 6.4 (16) R-S-Y-V-V-M 6.86 ± 0.37 −108.4 ± 3.7  (17) R-C-Y-V-V-M 13.97 ± 0.35  −326.5 ± 3.6  (18) m-v-v-y-f-r 14.6 ± 0.75 −345.1 ± 5.1  (19) m-v-v-y-a-r 11.4 ± 0.63 −247.1 ± 5.4  *positive inhibition index = substance inhibited; negative inhibition index = substance induced;

According to the disclosure, the inhibition index is calculated as follows: inhibition index [%]=(measured apoptosis index·100/apoptosis index control)−100

EXAMPLE 6 Improvement of the Inhibition Effect by Lengthening the Amino Acid Chain

Cell cultivation and the tests were carried out as described in Example 5. The peptides used are enumerated in Table 3.

TABLE 3 Results with lengthened peptide sequences Apoptosis Inhibition SEQ ID NO Amino acid sequence index [%] index [%]* Control 8.73 ± 0.43 (5) K-R-A-Y-V-V-M-W-K-K 0.37 ± 0.22 +95.8 ± 2.6 (6) K-R-E-Y-V-V-M-W-K-K 0.48 ± 0.22 +94.5 ± 2.5 *positive inhibition index = substance inhibited; negative inhibition index = substance induced 

1. A method for the treatment of arteriosclerosis, the method comprising administering to a patient in need of such treatment a pharmaceutical composition comprising an apoptotically active peptide having the amino acid sequence shown in SEQ ID NO: 1 or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof, and a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier, wherein the apoptotically active peptide inhibits apoptosis.
 2. The method of claim 1, wherein the apoptotically active peptide has less than 100 amino acids.
 3. The method of claim 1, wherein the apoptotically active peptide has less than 75 amino acids.
 4. The method of claim 1, wherein the apoptotically active peptide has less than 50 amino acids.
 5. The method of claim 1, wherein the apoptotically active peptide has less than 25 amino acids.
 6. The method of claim 1, wherein the apoptotically active peptide has less than 15 amino acids.
 7. The method of claim 1, wherein the apoptotically active peptide further comprises 1 to 3 amino acids at an N-terminus.
 8. The method of claim 1, wherein the apoptotically active peptide further comprises 1 to 3 amino acids at a C-terminus.
 9. A method for the treatment of arteriosclerosis, the method comprising administering to a patient in need of such treatment a pharmaceutical composition comprising an apoptotically active peptide comprising an amino acid sequence consisting of SEQ ID NO: 1, or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof, and a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier, wherein the apoptocitally active peptide inhibits apoptosis.
 10. The method of claim 9, wherein the apoptotically active peptide further comprises one, two, or three amino acids at an N-terminus of SEQ ID NO:
 1. 11. The method of claim 10, wherein the apoptotically active peptide further comprises one amino acid at the N-terminus of SEQ ID NO:
 1. 12. The method of claim 11, wherein the apoptotically active peptide further comprises one, two, or three amino acids at a C-terminus of SEQ ID NO:
 1. 13. The method of claim 12, wherein the apoptotically active peptide comprises an amino acid sequence consisting of SEQ ID NO:
 5. 14. The method of claim 9, wherein the apoptotically active peptide further comprises one, two, or three amino acids at a C-terminus of SEQ ID NO:
 1. 